Beijing (AP) – After the cancellation of the medal ceremony for the Olympic team competition for figure skaters because of Kamila Valiyeva’s doping offense, the US team is demanding an award ceremony before the end of the Winter Games, according to a media report.
Lawyers for the American team have informed the International Olympic Committee of their intention to appeal to the sports judges because of the urgency of the case, the AP news agency reported. In a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach, the US team referred to the IOC’s rules, according to which the medals had to be handed over at the end of each competition.
The US figure skaters had won team silver behind the Russians around Valiewa. Shortly thereafter, Valiyeva’s positive doping test from December became known. The medal presentation for the teams was therefore cancelled. The International Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas had allowed the European champion in an urgent procedure to also take part in the women’s singles.
However, the IOC decided that there would be no medal ceremonies involving the 15-year-olds in Beijing and that they should be made up for in a dignified manner after the end of the process. The US team was upset about it.
Bach then met the Americans for a discussion. The head of the IOC later denied that he had temporarily offered the US team Olympic torches instead of silver medals as a gift until the doping case was clarified.
“An Olympic medal ceremony cannot be replicated anywhere else. They should be celebrated for the world to see before they leave Beijing,” the AP quoted US Figure Skating Association executive director Ramsey Baker as saying.